Eco-pioneers: The Great Work of Their Lives

In our universal search for purpose and meaning, we can all draw inspiration from the stories of great lives lived. The Bhagavad Gita, one of the oldest and most widely read wisdom texts, tells us that we all have a “sacred duty”, born out of our unique qualities and particular circumstances. In this class, we will look at the “sacred duties” of eco-pioneers: practical visionaries whose life work helps us reframe our relationship with nature and develop solutions to our most pressing environmental problems. We’ll start by studying the lives of four great environmentalists: Jane Goodall, Henry David Thoreau, Lois Gibbs, and Wangari Maathai. We will look at their contributions, life stories and sources of inspiration, as we assess how their sense of “sacred duty” arose from within. From there, students will embark on independent research projects on another eco-pioneer, drawn from a collection of environmentalists, indigenous leaders, ecological designers, scholars, farmers, and artists. Along the way, we will enjoy class visits from some local “eco-pioneers”, and spend time reflecting on how we might find and embrace our own “sacred duties”. Students interested in environmental issues, eastern philosophy or biography will all find something of interest here, as will students looking to contemplate their own experience of duty and purpose in the world. This course fulfills the FYS and HU general education requirement.